Transfer mechanism



lz. P. cANnEEa TRANSFER' MECHANISVM. 'APPLICATION FILED MAY 20, 1920.

Izzy

@MMI

' Z. P'. CANDEE'.

TRANSFER MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 2b. 1920.

Patented g.` 215, 1922.

- 2 sHmsQ-sussr 2.

tra fiar? fst-r e wenn vrifiant ZENAS P. CANDEE, OF W'ATERBURY, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE WATERBRY FARREL FOUNDRY AND IVIACHINE, COMPANY, 0F

CORPORATION 0F CONNECTICUT.

ATERBURY, CONNECTICUT, A.

TRANSFER MECHANISM.

Specification cf Letters Patent. Paijgutd Aug'. 15, 1922.

Application filed May 20, 1920. Serial No. 383,003.

T0 all whom t may concern.' Be it known that I, ZnNAs P. Canons, citizen of the United ffitates7 residing at "Waterbury, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Transfer Mechanisms, of which the follow` ing is a specification7 reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention herein described relates to new and improved transfer mechanism and more particularly to such mechanisms as are used on machines for transferring articles rom one station to another either for operations thereon or for other purposes.

It is the object of this invention, among other things, to provide means wherebyA a transfer mechanism of substantial length may be constructed and operated so that the relative parts thereof move in ,unison and in substantially parallel lines, such mechanism being so arranged that the liability of the ends of said transfer mechanism getting out of alignment is reduced to the absolute minimum, in fact eliminated.

To these,` and other ends, my invention consists in the` transfer mechanism having certain details of construction and combinations of parts as will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the ydrawings in which like numerals of reference designate like parts in the several figures7 Figure 1 is a plan view of one form of my improved mechanism Awith some of the adjacent parts shown inA connection therewith.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary elevation thereof. l y

Figure 3 is anenlarged fragmentary plan view of a portion of the link mechanism; and f Figure 11 is an enlarged end elevation vwith the parts shown in section being taken substantially upon line 4 4 of Figure 3.

I have illustrated my invention as applied to a machine having transfer mechanism with seven pairs of transfer fingers connected therewith, for the purpose of transferring successively a single article from a receiving station to a plurality of tools, one after another and then to a discharge station.

This particular application of my mechanism is merely shown for the purpose ofv illustration and within my invention is not limited thereto. i

Heretofore in mechanismof this character the element carrying the transfer fingers has usually been operated from a single shaft, substantially parallel with said element, having one oremore camsthereon, these generally being located Iadjacent to the ends of the carrier mechanism- In practice it has been found'that with some classes of work this shaft is liable to spring under the operating strain so that the cams although timed in .unison do not so act on account of this springing action o f the shaft, thev result being that the carrier fingers connected with the, carrier mechanism at opposite ends thereof, do not operate .in a predetermined manner, some havingla tight grip upon the article and the other alv loose grip and still others possibly no grip at all. Obviously such action makes' the mechanism uncertain and unreliable and is detrimental to the successful' operation of the tools with which the transfer mechanism is associated.

With my improved device I so arrange the means for actuating the mechanisms that the transfer 'fingersmove in and out` toward and away from each other 'with certainty and in unison with the possibility of springing entirely eliminated and the objections above lreferred to entirelyobviated.

In 'the drawings 10.represents a portion of the bodyl of amachine to which my improved mechanism is applied; lllis a bolster plate fixed thereto; 12 is' a bracket secured to one end of said bolster plate and within which is Ajoiirnaled the vshaft 13 having thereon la cam 14 for imparting-a longitudinal movement to the. transfer mechanism and a cam 15 for imparting an in and out movement thereto.

The reference numerals 16 and 17 designate the companion `members or carrier plates, the latter being the front` carrier plate and the former the rear carrier plate. rlhese plates are connected at one end by the-bar 18 whichis vfixed to the carrier slide 19. Said plates have a sliding movement on the bar 18 toward andaway from each other.4 This carrier slide 19 `is provided with twocan rolls 20 which Contact with n ont attachment to the bars constitute no part of this invention and are therefore not described more in detail, except that as shown clamps 24 are provided, within which inger holders 25 are secured having the lingers 23 connected therewith. In the bolsters 26 are fixed the tool holders 27. The design, construction and method of holding these tool holders is not material to my invention and are therefore not described more in detail.

Fixed in the bolster plate 11 are the studs 28 preferably 4 in number, but more may be used it the transfer mechanism is excessively long, or the work required thereby is such as to demand it.

ltotatably mounted upon two of the studs 28 are the bell cranks 29 and upon the opposite two are the rock levers 30. The bell cranks and rock levers are arranged in pairs and are connected by rods 31 and the bell cranks are connected by the rod 32. The connections between the rods 31 and the bell cranks "9 and levers 30 and the rod 32 with the bell cranks 29 are pivotal so that they may have relative movement one with the other.

Rotatably mounted upon a stud 33, fixed in the bracket 12, is a rock lever 34, having a cam roll 35 upon one end thereof, which lies within the cam groove 36 in the in and out cam 15 and is connected with the rod 32 by the link 37. This latter is accomplished by means of the plates 38 secured to the rod 32 and the pintle 39. By this construction the removal ot the pintle 39 and one of the plates 38 provides means tor disengaging all ot the mechanism associated with the bracket 12 ltrom the parts associated with the bolster plates which permits economy in machining ot the parts and their ready assembly and dismantling.

As the carrier plates 1G and 17 have no lixed engagement with the bar 18, and only a sliding connection therewith, this also tacilitates the removal olf the bracket 12 as above mentioned. In each of the bell cranks 29 and the levers 30 are the studs 40 upon which are mounted the swivel blocks 41, to which are secured the caps 42 and within which are slidably mounted the carrier plates 16 and 17 which have an endwise movement therein; and during the movement ot said carrier plates toward and away from each other the swivel blocks are movable upon their pivot mounting.

The rotation of the in and out cam 15 imparts a rocking movement to the rock lever 34 and tl rough the link 37 and rod 32 a rocking movement is imparted to the bell cranks 29 and through the rods 31 this motion is transmitted to the rock levers 30. As the studs 40 in the bell cranks 29 and rock levers 30 are upon opposite sides ot the centers ot the studs 28 a parallel movement of the carrier'plates 1G and 17 toward and away trom each other is thereby imparted. Each end ot each carrier plate being now actuated through mechanism wherein there is no possibility of warping or springing, an absolute parallel movement and in unison ot all portions oi the carrier plates is obtained.

Minor changes and alterations may be made within my invention aside from those herein suggested and l would therefore have it understood that l do not limit myself to the exact construction herein shown anddescribed but claim all that falls 'fairly within the spirit andA scope o1 the appended claims.

Having described my invention what. l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A transfer mechanism having companion members, means having connection with both of said members at points relatively distant from each other tor positively moving said members toward and away from each other, and means for imparting an endwise movement to said members while held in one of their relative positions. f

2A ik transter mechanism having compair ion members, means comprising rock members connected to each other so' as to move as a unit, said rock members being located at points relatvely distant from each other for moving said companion members toward and away trom each other, means for ac tiuitiiig said rock members in unison, and

means :for imparting an endwise movement to said members while held in one of' their relative positions.

A transfer mechanism having rock members arranged in pairs, each member in each pair being operatively connected with the other member of the pair, and one memn ber in each pair having an operative engagement with one member in another pair; a

companion member associated with one of each ot said pairs ot roc-k members whereby the movement of said rock members will cause a movement ot the companion members toward and away trom each other, and

fixer part and arranged in pairs, a link connection between the rock members of ,each pair, a connection between one of each of said pairs of rock members with one of the rock members of another pair, means for slidably connecting one `of said companion members with one of each of said pairs of rock members, means for actuating all of said rock members, whereby movement is transmitted to said companion members toward and away from each other, and means for imparting an endwise movement to said members while held in one of their relative positions.

A transfer mechanism having companion members, rock members connected with a fixed part and arranged so that one rock member is adjacent to each end of each of said companion members, means for operatively connecting said-rock members in pairs, and said pairs of rock members with each other, and means for actuating said rock members comprising in part al positively actuated conn ction, and means for separably securing said connection to said rock members. v

6. transfer mechanism having companion members, a plurality of rock members pivotally connected with a fixed part and arranged in pairs, a connection between the rock members of each pair, means for slidably connecting one of each of said pairs of rock members with one of said companion members, and the other of each of said pairs of rock members with the other companion member, a. connection between one of each of said pairs of rock members with one of the rock members in another pair; means for actuating all of said rock members, whereby movement transmitted to said companion members toward andl away from each other, and means for imparting` an endwise movement to said men bers while held in one of their relative positions.

7. A transfer mechanism having companion members, a plurality of rock mounted members, a swivel block on each of said rock members, forming an operative connection between said rock member and said companion members, means for operatively connecting all of said rock members so that movement thereof will canse said corrpanion members to move toward and away from each other, and means for imparting an endwise movement to said members while held in one of their relative positions.

8. In a transfer mechanism, wherein the carrier elements have movement toward and away from each other and at an angle thereto, the combination witli companion members; `of means for causing the latter to move toward and away from each other in parallel lines, comprising mechanism having a swivel engagement with a part fixed in relation to said companion members, and connected with said companion members at each end thereof, and mechanism for posi-1 tively actuating said means in unison, andy neans for imparting an endwise movement to said members while held in one of their relative positions.l n i 9. A transfer mechanism having a fixed part, rock members pivotally connected therewith at points thereon corresponding with the corners of a parallelogrammatie figure, a link connection between the two rock members at the opposite ends of said fixed member, a link connection between the two rock members on one sideof said fixed member, companion members, each of which has a sliding and swivel connection with two of said rock members, means for actuating said rock members whereby movementvis imparted to said companion mem bers toward and away from each other, and means for imparting an endwise movement to said members while held in one of their relative positions.

10. A transfer mechanism having rock members pivotally connected with a fixed part at points thereon corresponding with the corners of a parallelogrammatic figure, a link connection between the two rock members at the opposite ends of said fixed member, a link connection between the two rock members on one side of said fixed member, 'companion members, each having a sliding and swivel connection with two of said rock members, means for actuating said rock members to impart movement to said companion members toward and away from each other, comprising a rock lever, means for actuating said rock lever, a connection between said rock lever and said rock members; all of said latter mechanism being so connected with said fixed part and said companion members as to be readily disengaged therefrom.

l1. A transfer mechanism having a bracket connected with a fixed part, companion members, rockv members pivotally connected with said fixed lpart and having an operative engagement with said companion members, means, connected with said bracket for imparting movement .to said rock members, whereby said companion members may be moved toward and away from each other, means for imparting movement to said companion members in a direction parallel to their length and independent of their movement toward andl away from each other while in one of their relative positions upon said rock members, and means for forming a separable connection between the mechanism connected with Cil upon said bracket, means connecte@` with said bracket for imparting movement to said slide, companion members having` an Aoperative engagement With said slide, means connected with said bracket and transmitting :motion through said roek members to said companion members which are caused to move toward and away from each other, and a connection between said 

